That offer trumps one sent by "Alberto" in Denmark that promises energetic people an opportunity to earn a substantial income working from home for an entity claiming to be a "Fortune 500" firm.

Buy into that and I can point you toward some Nigerians who'll cut you in on tens of thousands of dollars just for giving them access to your "bank particulars."

As ill-advised as such deals may sound, they can offer real allure  through a nothing-to-lose sort of reasoning  when times get tough, as they have of late.

Legitimate at-home work options still abound, and they can cushion a financial blow. A neighbor of mine just began giving real attention to her long-simmering interior-design company. It will help out the household; her husband recently lost his job at a semiconductor firm.

But experts warn home-worker wannabes to beware enterprises that require an initial outlay of money, as many do. Diligence has never been more important, as today's lead story explains.